Crucify Him
by Richard St.James
Crucify Him
Bible 1611.Com / Old Paths Bible Ministries © 2008John19:1 “Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him.
2 And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head,
and they put on him a purple robe,
3 And said, Hail, King of the Jews! and they smote him with their hands.
4 Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith unto them, Behold, I
bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him.
5 Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple
robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man!
6 When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out,
saying, Crucify him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Take ye him,
and crucify him: for I find no fault in him.
7 The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die,
because he made himself the Son of God.
8 When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he was the more afraid;”
1. The Scourging
2. The Crown
3. The Purple Robe
4. Behold The Man
5. The Son of God
1. The Scourging
Verse one: “Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him.” Mat 27:26] “Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.”When a person is suspected of a crime, not worthy of death, then the government [Roman] would have that person examined by “scourging” in order to prove him or to correct him. We find this practice of examination “by scourging” by the Romans when they apprehended Paul in the book of Acts chapter twenty-two. “The chief captain commanded him to be brought into the castle, and bade that he should be examined by scourging; that he might know wherefore they cried so against him.” [Acts 22:24]
Israel in obedience to the Law of God “scourged” a woman who “was not free”, and was betrothed. “And whosoever lieth carnally with a woman, that is a bondmaid, betrothed to an husband, and not at all redeemed, nor freedom given her; she shall be scourged; they shall not be put to death, because she was not free.” [Leviticus 19:20]
Now, here is the Son of God who “knew no sin” [2 Corinthians 5:21] taking a beating for NO infraction of any law under the sun. HE was innocent of all the charges [and someone is laughing].
Now, let me ask you something. Have you ever had endured punishment for something that you did not do? [I myself cannot make any such claim at all.] What about you?
What do we have here? It is a TRIAL of an innocent PERSON. Job [in Job chapter nine] said prophetically [pointing to SOMEONE else in the future] that “he” would laugh “at the trial of the innocent.” “If the scourge slay suddenly, he will laugh at the trial of the innocent.” [Job 9:23]
2. The Crown
Verse two: “And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head,”Now, and throughout time, it has been the kings of this earth that have been crowned with crowns. Something else here, these crowns are shown throughout the Bible as having been made of pure gold.
Crowns represent two things, as we shall see. First, crowns [worn by kings] signify POLITICAL AUTHORITY. When Israel defeated the king of Ammon, they took his crown from off his head. We see this in the book of Second Samuel chapter twelve, verse thirty: “And he took their king's crown from off his head, the weight whereof was a talent of gold with the precious stones: and it was set on David's head. And he brought forth the spoil of the city in great abundance.” [2 Samuel 12:30] They removed his authority!
There is someone else shown in the Bible who wears a crown. It is the HIGH PRIEST of the LORD GOD of Israel. A crown [worn by the high priest] signifies RELIGIOUS AUTHORITY. We can see this in the book of Exodus in chapter thirty-nine, verse thirty: “And they made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold, and wrote upon it a writing, like to the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE LORD.”
The NORM for crowns is to be made of gold. However, the crown here, in verse two of our text [of John nineteen] is a “platted a crown of thorns.”
Now, we have heard the saying: “you are a thorn in my side.” We got that saying from the BOOK. Did you know that? We got it from the book of Numbers chapter thirty-three, verse fifty-five. God is warning Israel to totally drive out all those nations living in their promised land. “But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you; then it shall come to pass, that those which ye let remain of them shall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell.” [Numbers 33:55]
When did thorns come into this world? Thorns came into this world when man sinned against God. Thorns and thistles signify the presence of SIN in this world. “Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;” [Genesis 3:18] More than this, the “sons of Belial” in this world are likened to thorns in Second Samuel chapter twenty-three, verse six: “But the sons of Belial shall be all of them as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands:” [2 Sam 23:6].
Now, they may have crowned Jesus Christ two thousand years ago with a crown of thorns but one day soon, HE will be crowned as a PRIEST and KING with a crown of gold. Look at this in Psalm twenty-one, verse three: “For thou preventest him with the blessings of goodness: thou settest a crown of pure gold on his head.” [Psalm 21:3]
Now, Isaiah twenty-eight, in verse five: “In that day shall the Lord of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people,” [Isaiah 28:5]. Here HE is in Revelation fourteen, in verse fourteen: “And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.” [Revelation 14:14]
3. The Purple Robe
The last part of verse two: “and the purple robe.”They clothed HIM in a purple robe. Now, a purple robe is the color for a king. They didn’t understand what they were doing because they did not understand why HE came to the Earth the first time. HE came to DIE! Jesus Christ came to the earth … the first time … [which is called the First Advent of Jesus Christ] NOT TO BE A KING [though HE is THE KING]. HE came to this earth the first time TO BE A PRIEST! Remember, the color of the high priest’s robe is blue. [Exodus 28:31] “And thou shalt make the robe of the ephod all of blue.” Only in the hem of the robe was there purple. “And they made upon the hems of the robe pomegranates of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and twined linen.” [Exodus 39:24]
Now, consider what Jesus Christ was about to do, as our HIGH PRIEST. “Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.” [Hebrews 2:17]
One day soon [in the Kingdom of Heaven] the LORD will have Eliakim clothed in the robe of the king of Israel as was prophesied in the book of Isaiah chapter twenty-two. Turn with me there to verses twenty through twenty-five: “And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah:" [Did you see that? This implies a “day” in the future.] “And I will clothe him with thy robe,” [here is the robe] “and strengthen him with thy girdle, and I will commit thy government into his hand: and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah. And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.” [Isaiah 22:20-22]
[This government will be the government identified in Isaiah chapter nine, verse six and seven: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, the everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this."]
Eliakim was, therefore, a TYPE of Jesus Christ, as was King David, and as was Melchizedek who was king of Salem. In the regeneration [Matthew 19:28] which is the coming one-thousand Kingdom of Heaven, Jesus Christ “will commit thy government into his [Eliakim’s] hand” even while “the government shall be upon his [Jesus Christ’s] shoulder:” [Isaiah 9:6].
But in our text, we see for now that Israel is as an enemy as was foretold by the prophet in the Scripture [in Micah chapter two in verse eight]: “Even of late my people is risen up as an enemy: ye pull off the robe with the garment from them that pass by securely as men averse from war.” [Micah 2:8]
4. Behold The Man
Verse five: “Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man!”Pilate saw a man. “Behold the man!” Further, Pilate saw a man who was absolutely no threat to his throne, or to the government of Rome. Pilate said: “Behold the man!” This is because Pilate saw a man that he could find NO FAULT in. Jesus Christ was INNOCENT! We saw that in verse four: “Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith unto them, Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him.” The only problem with Pilate’s testimony was this. He only saw a man. He didn’t see what he ought to have seen. Amen!
5. The Son of God
Verse seven and eight: “The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God. When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he was the more afraid;” [John 19:7-8].The Jews had clothed themselves in a robe of self-righteousness! They had a perverted view and a perverted implementation of the Law [that was given to them by Moses]. Their whole problem can be described as a HEART problem. The Apostle Paul by the Holy Ghost said concerning the Jews in Romans chapter ten, verse three: “For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.” [Romans 10:3]
When a people are perverted, and “have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God”, then the innocent people in their hands will suffer injustices, and even death. It is, as it says, in the book of the Proverbs: “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.” [Proverbs 29:2]
There is something else here. Pilate’s view of Jesus went from a glib “Behold the man!” to the FEAR of God! Pilate “was the more afraid” when he heard the saying that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
This then, is what was needed then. [It was the fear of God.] This is what is needed now. [It is the fear of God.]
Everyone who hears that Jesus Christ is the SON of GOD needs do something in response; either to believe in HIM, or to reject HIM. [John 3:18] “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
The Jews here, in our text, have already made their decision.
Now, Pilate seems to have come close, but what is upper most important to him … was to please the people. This is sad! We see this in Mark chapter fifteen in verse fifteen: “And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified.” [Mark 15:15]
What have you done with Jesus Christ?
“And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.” [1 John 3:23]
Return to King James Bible Study Index
The Gospel According To John
John 19:1 Then Pilate therefore
took Jesus, and scourged him.
John 19:2 And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on
his head, and they put on him a purple robe,
John 19:3 And said, Hail, King of the Jews! and they smote him with
their hands.
John 19:4 Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith unto them,
Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no
fault in him.
John 19:5 Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and
the purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man!
John 19:6 When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him,
they cried out, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto
them, Take ye him, and crucify him: for I find no fault in him.
John 19:7 The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he
ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.
John 19:8 When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he was the more
afraid;
John 19:9 And went again into the judgment hall, and saith unto
Jesus, Whence art thou? But Jesus gave him no answer.
John 19:10 Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me?
knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power
to release thee?
John 19:11 Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all
against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that
delivered me unto thee
hath the greater sin.
John 19:12 And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him: but
the Jews cried out, saying, If thou let this man go, thou art not
Caesar's friend: whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against
Caesar.
John 19:13 When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus
forth, and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called
the Pavement, but
in the Hebrew, Gabbatha.
John 19:14 And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the
sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King!
John 19:15 But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify
him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief
priests answered,
We have no king but Caesar.
John 19:16 Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be
crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him away.
John 19:17 And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called
the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha:
John 19:18 Where they crucified him, and two others with him, on
either side one, and Jesus in the midst.
John 19:19 And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And
the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS.
John 19:20 This title then read many of the Jews: for the place
where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city: and it was written
in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin.
John 19:21 Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write
not, The King of the Jews; but that he said, I am King of the Jews.
John 19:22 Pilate answered, What I have written I have written.
John 19:23 Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took
his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also
his coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top
throughout.
John 19:24 They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it,
but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be
fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for
my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers
did.
John 19:25 Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his
mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.
John 19:26 When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple
standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold
thy son!
John 19:27 Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And
from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.
John 19:28 After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now
accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I
thirst.
John 19:29 Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they
filled a sponge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to
his mouth.
John 19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said,
It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.
John 19:31 The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that
the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for
that sabbath
day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be
broken, and that they might be taken away.
John 19:32 Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first,
and of the other which was crucified with him.
John 19:33 But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead
already, they brake not his legs:
John 19:34 But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side,
and forthwith came there out blood and water.
John 19:35 And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true:
and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe.
John 19:36 For these things were done, that the scripture should be
fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken.
John 19:37 And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him
whom they pierced.
John 19:38 And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of
Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he
might take away the
body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and
took the body of Jesus.
John 19:39 And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to
Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an
hundred pound weight.
John 19:40 Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen
clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.
John 19:41 Now in the place where he was crucified there was a
garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet
laid.
John 19:42 There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews'
preparation day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand.
